Glareproof cap



S. FELDMAN GLAREPROOF CAP April 14, 1964 Filed Nov. 7, 1963 FIG.1

FIG.4

FIG.5

m m w.

Samuel Feldman' QQ 21 um;

ATTORNEY United States Patent York Filed Nov. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 322,224 Claims. (Cl. 2-195) This invention relates to caps, and more particularly concerns caps having glareproof visors.

Caps have been provided for use when the wearers eyes may be subject to glare, as for sports and the like. Such known caps are distinguished by a visor formed from thin sheet plastic material such as cellulose acetate or the like, which plastic is colored, usually a dark green, so as to filter out the glare producing elements of the suns rays.

However, such caps having the glareproof visors are of specialized and limited usage, being inappropriate for ordinary wear when the wearer is not concerned with glare arising from sun rays or the like. Also, the exposed, thin plastic visor detracts from the overall appearance of the cap and imparts a somewhat unprepossessing appearance to the same. Finally, the thin plastic visor has little resistance to bending, creasing or tearing and within a short time the cap may have a somewhat bedraggled appearance.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved cap of the glareproof type, wherein the visor is adapted to provide protection for the wearer against the glare of incident light, yet has a pleasing appearance which allows the cap to be used for general wear under non-glare as well as glare conditions.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved cap of the character described, which includes a visor having fabric facings which provide the same with a pleasing appearance, and a glareproof sheet element disposed within the facings yet well adapted to retain its glareproof properties despite the fabric facings.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a cap of the character described, wherein the visor thereof includes a thin sheet of colored glareproof material and an open mesh or reticulated fabric covering therefor which permits light rays to pass through the glareproof sheet, the fabric covering being effective to markedly improve the appearance of the glareproof sheet.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved cap of the character described wherein the visor thereof includes a dark colored plastic sheet having antiglare properties and a fabric covering for the upper surface of the plastic sheet which conceals the same from view yet is of a weave which permits the passage therethrough of incident light rays, the fabric covering matching the fabric of which the crown portion of the cap is formed, to thereby give an appearance to the cap as a whole which permits general usage of the same as well as special usage for glare conditions.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a cap embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view showing a portion of the visor of the cap; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, and showing a variant in the exposed fabric facing of the visor.

Essentially, the invention herein resides in a cap construction of the glareproof type, wherein the visor includes the usual sheet of colored plastic material adapted 3,128,474 Patented Apr. 14, 1964 to filter glare producing rays, together with a fabric covering for at least one surface of the plastic sheet, which covering or coverings either conceal or modify the appearance of the plastic sheet so as to markedly improve the appearance thereof, yet allowing light rays to pass therethrough so as to substantially maintain the glareproof properties of the plastic sheet portion of the Thus, as shown in the drawing, 10 designates a cap embodying the invention; the same comprising a crown portion 11 and a visor portion 12 extending from an edge thereof. The crown portion 11 is formed of fabric panels 13 stitched together as at 14. The rear panels 13A may be cut out as at 15 to provide a notched lower portion thereon, which notched portion may be bridged by a band 16 which is anchored at one end as at 17 and passes through a pivoted type clinching buckle 18 secured to a panel edge portion as at 19.

The free end of band 16 passes from the buckle 18 through an eyelet 20 into contact with the inner surface at the lower edge of side panel 13 of crown 11. Thus, the headband size of cap 10 may be adjusted by opening the clinching buckle 18 and shifting the free end of band 16 to selected positions and then closing buckle 18 to grip the band 16 in the selected position thereof. The frontal crown panels 13B may have secured to the inner surface thereof thin sheets 21 of insulating material such as polyurethane foam or the like.

The visor 12 is of the usual configuration with a convexly curved forward edge and a rear edge of concave shape for securement to a forward edge of crown 11. Visor 12 comprises a thin plastic sheet 22 which may be formed of cellulose acetate or other suitable plastic and colored to provide means for filtering glare forming constitutents of incident light rays, in a manner known in the art. Such sheets are usually a dark green color.

The glareproof sheet 22 is permanently enclosed by means of a fabric covering 23 on its upper surface and a fabric covering 24 on its lower surface. Preferably, the visor 12 is preformed by assembling die cut portions of plastic sheet 22 and fabric coverings 23, 24 wherein coverings 23, 24 have rear marginal portions 23A, 24A respectively which extend slightly beyond rear edge 25 of the plastic sheet 22; marginal portions 23A, 24A being stitched together as at 26 along edge 25 of plastic sheet 22. The usual finish band 27 encloses the forward coextensive edges of plastic sheet 22 and coverings 23, 24 and stitching 28 secures the same together.

The thus formed visor assembly 12 is secured to crown 11 and more particularly to inturned bottom edge portions of crown panels 13B, as shown in FIG. 3 by stitching 29. A sweatband 30 is also secured in place by said stitching 29, said sweatband 30 extending about the lower inner edge portions of the crown panels. A narrow woven finishing and reinforcing tape 31 disposed in contact with the lower inner edges of insulating sheets 21 on panels 13B and the lower inner edges of panels 13, 13A, is also secured in place by said stitching 29.

The fabric covering 23 is of a loose or coarse weave so as to be highly pervious to light rays, and may match the fabric from which the crown panels 13, 13A and 13B are formed. Thus, while the dark colored plastic sheet 22 is concealed from view by the covering 23, light may pass through the fabric and the plastic sheet 22 which is effective, to filter out the glare producing elements thereof.

Fabric covering 24 on the underside of plastic sheet 22 is also of a very coarse, open weave so as to freely transmit therethrough light rays. While the plastic sheet 22 may be perceived through fabric covering 24, the appearance thereof is modified to produce an enhanced effect which is pleasing to the eye.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, the underside of the glareproof sheet 22 may be covered with a reticulated fabric 32 having openings of substantial size which may be of hexagon or other desired shape. Such reticulated fabric 32 not only readily passes light rays but imparts a distinct decorative effect to the plastic sheet 22 perceptible therethrough.

It will be apparent that the cap 10 of the instant invention may be worn not only on occasions when its glareproof plastic sheet 22 in visor 12 thereof is effective to filter glare producing elements of incident light rays; but also on other occasions when the glareproof properties of said visor are not required; the cap at all times having a pleasing appearance appropriate for both generalized as well as specialized usage.

Also, the fabric facings 23, 24 of visor 12 are effective to preserve the plastic sheet 22 therebetween against creasing, curling or splitting with use and passage of time.

As various changes might be made in the embodiments of the invention herein disclosed without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter herein shown or described shall be deemed illustrative and not by way of limitation, except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cap comprising a crown portion-and a visor extending from an edge portion of said crown portion, said visor comprising a plastic transparent antiglare sheet, and a fabric covering secured to at least one surface of said sheet, said fabric covering having a surface area substantially coextensive with the surface area of said sheet and having an open weave permitting the passage therethrough of a substantial portion of incident light rays.

2. A cap as in claim 1 wherein said visor comprises a fabric covering on each surface of said plastic sheet, each of said fabric coverings having a weave permitting the passage therethrough of a substantial portion of incident light rays.

3. A cap comprising a crown and a visor extending from an edge portion of said crown, said visor comprising a sheet of plastic transparent antiglare material and a fabric covering secured to the upper surface of said plastic sheet, said fabric covering having peripheral edge portions coextensive with the periphery of said plastic sheet, said fabric covering having a coarse weave permitting the passage therethrough of a substantial portion of incident light rays.

4. A cap as in claim 3 wherein the fabric of said covering is similar to the fabric forming said crown.

5. A cap comprising a fabric crown portion and a visor extending from an edge portion of said crown portion, said visor comprising a colored transparent plastic sheet having antiglare properties, said sheet having a convexly curved forward edge and a concavely curved rear edge, a fabric covering for each surface of said plastic sheet, said coverings having forward edges substantially coextensive with the forward edge of said plastic sheet and rear edges extending beyond the rear edge of said plastic sheet, means securing said coverings along the rear edge of said plastic sheet to provide rear marginal portions in said coverings extending beyond the rear edge of said plastic sheet, and means securing said rear marginal portions of said coverings to said edge portion of the crown, said fabric coverings having a coarse weave allowing the passage therethrough of a substantial portion of incident light rays.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,519,590 Mull Dec. 16, 1924 1,563,611 Cohen Dec. 1, 1925 1,569,658 Levinson Jan. 12, 1926 1,731,978 Kirk Oct. 15, 1929 1,782,206 Kornsweet Nov. 18, 1930 3,039,113 Lipschutz June 19, 1962 3,047,880 Lev Aug. 7, 1962 3,089,147 Zimmerman May 14, 1963 

1. A CAP COMPRISING A CROWN PORTION AND A VISOR EXTENDING FROM AN EDGE PORTION OF SAID CROWN PORTION, SAID VISOR COMPRISING A PLASTIC TRANSPARENT ANTIGLARE SHEET, AND A FABRIC COVERING SECURED TO AT LEAST ONE SURFACE OF SAID SHEET, SAID FABRIC COVERING HAVING A SURFACE AREA SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH THE SURFACE AREA OF SAID SHEET AND HAVING AN OPEN WEAVE PERMITTING THE PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF INDIDENT LIGHT RAYS. 